War’s fallen servicemen from Southern MA

This photo gallery honors service members from towns south of Boston who have lost their lives in the War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was compiled from Globe and news service reports.

Pictured: A rock in Southfield that memorializes a fallen soldier.
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LCpl Walter O’Haire (USMC)—Rockland

- Born in South Boston and moved to Rockland- One of nine children. His father died two years before him.- Killed in action May 9, 2007, six days short of his 21st birthday.- Nicknamed “Gator,” after the old Wally Gator cartoon
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US Department of Defense

SPC Matthew M. Pollini (USA/National Guard)—Rockland

- Lived in Rockland- Killed in action on Jan. 22, 2009, at age 21 - One of five siblings and a 2006 graduate of Rockland High School- Worked in the meat department of Hannaford Supermarket in Rockland- Left his wife, Sarah
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US Department of Defense

SGT Andrew K. Farrar, Jr. (USMC)—Weymouth

- Born in Weymouth- The oldest of four children, and a 1992 Weymouth High School graduate- Died on his 31st birthday on Jan. 28, 2005- Had been planning to return to civilian life in law enforcement when 9/11 happened- Left his wife, Melissa, and two children, Tyler and Liam, who are with his parentsNext

Capt Anthony Palermo (USA)—Brockton

- Grew up in Brockton- Had aspirations of becoming a soldier since he was a child- Was killed at age 26 by an IED in 2007 in Baghdad
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Photo courtesy Sun-Sentinel, Florida

LCpl Alexander Scott Arredondo (USMC) – Randolph

- Grew up in Norwood and Randolph- Went to Blue Hills Regional Technical School- Died in 2004 at age 20 in Nafaj, Iraq
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1LT Andrew J. Bacevich (USA)—Walpole

- Graduated from BU in 2003 with a degree in communications- Was killed by a roadside bomb in 2007 in Balad, Iraq when he 27- His father, Andrew J. Bacevich, has been a persistent critic of the Iraq war
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AP Photo/Bean Family via WCVB-TV

PFC Matthew A. Bean (USA)—Pembroke

- Survived three roadside bomb attacks- Awarded Bronze Star for helping discover a roadside bomb and saving members of his unit- Died in 2007 at age 22 when he was shot by a sniper
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SGT Benjamin W. Sherman (USA)—Plymouth

- 2006 graduate of Plymouth South High School- Joined army right after high school- Serving his second tour in Afghanistan when he died in 2009 - Left his wife, Patricia and their infant child
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AP photo

LCpl Jeffrey Burgess (USMC) – Plymouth

- Attended Plymouth South High School- Was in Iraq for less than a month when he was killed- Died in 2004 at age 20 when his armored vehicle struck a land mine near Fallujah
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Capt Joel E. Cahill (USA)—Norwood

- Born in Norwood- Was in military for 15 years- Helped rescue Jessica Lynch, who was taken hostage early in the war- Was killed by a makeshift bomb in Ad Dawr in 2005 at age 34- Left his wife and two daughters in Georgia
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SSGT William J. Callahan (USMC)—Easton

- Was trained as an explosives disposal technician and responded to nearly 200 emergencies during his first tour in Iraq- Was killed in Anbar Province during his second tour in 2007 at age 28- He left behind his wife, Amy (pictured) and his baby son
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PFC Norman Darling (USA)—Middleborough

- Grew up in the Bahamas- A neighbor said he joined the army to provide a better future for his daughter- Died with seven other soldiers in a suicide bombing in 2004
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John Bohn/Globe staff

CPL Ciara M. Durkin (USA/National Guard)—Quincy

- Born in Ireland and moved to U.S. with family when she was a child- Graduated from Fontbonne Academy in Milton in ‘96- Died at age 30 in 2007 in Afghanistan in what Army ruled a suicide- Her family said Durkin would never have killed herself and said they suspected foul play
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MSG Gregory R. Trent (USA)—Norton

- Died of wounds at age 38 in Baktabad, Afghanistan- Served one tour of duty in Iraq and four tours in Afghanistan- Left his wife, a daughter, a brother and his parents
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LCpl Kevin Preach (USMC)—Bridgewater

- Was riding in a Humvee in Afghanistan when IED detonated and he was severely injured- Was in medically induced coma for a few weeks until his death on Feb. 7
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AP photo

SFC Jared C. Monti (USA) – Raynham

- Killed at 30 in 2006 during second tour in Afghanistan- He died when he rushed into heavy enemy fire to help two of his wounded comrades- Received Medal of Honor for his heroic actions
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1LT Brian McPhillips (USMC)—Norwood

- Died in a firefight in central Iraq at age 25 in 2003- Before his deployment, relatives asked if he was worried. "I have 150 men and I'm concerned about each and every one of them," he replied.
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AP photo

CPL Brian Oliveira (USMC) – Raynham

- Decorated squad leader- Attended local schools as Brian Horseman- Killed by enemy action in 2004 at age 22 in Anbar province
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SSG Robb L. Rolfing (USA)—Milton

- Earned an academic scholarship to study astrophysics at Vassar College- Died in 2007 at age 29 in Baghdad after he had been hit by small-arms fire
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AP photo

SFC Robert Rooney (USA/National Guard) – Plymouth

- Was a passionate NASCAR fan- Killed in 2003 in a forklift accident in Kuwait at age 43- Left behind wife, Diane and two sons and a daughter
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SPC Corey M. Shea (USA)—Mansfield

- First soldier from Mansfield to die in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan- Graduated from Mansfield High School in 2005- Died in 2008 when he and other soldiers were ambushed by a renegade Iraqi soldier
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SPC Steven E. Gutowski (USA)—Plymouth

- Graduated from Plymouth North High School ‘05- Went to Cape Cod Community College before enlisting in 2008- Killed along with two other soldiers in Ghanzi province, Afghanistan on Sept. 28, 2011 when his unit was attacked with an IED- Was 24 when he died
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1LT Timothy J. Steele (USA)—Duxbury

- Was honor roll student and athlete at Duxbury High School, class of ‘04- Graduated from US Military Academy at West Point- Died at age 25 of wounds from IED attack in Kandahar province, Afghanistan
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PO2 Tyler J. Trahan (USN)—Freetown

- 2004 graduate of Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical School in Rochester- Was in the top of his graduating class and in National Honor Society- Studied at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy before joining Navy- Was killed in 2009 at age 22 by a roadside bomb in Fallujah, Iraq
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AP photo

SGT Michael Kelley (USA/National Guard)—Scituate

- Graduated from Scituate High in 1997- Died in 2005 during tour of duty in Afghanistan- He was the Mass. National Guard’s first combat-related fatality in the war on terrorism- He was known in the Guard for drawing funny cartoons
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